News Release

McGill Research University of the Year

McGill University has been declared Canadian Research University of the Year (Medical/Doctoral category) by Research Infosource Inc.,

Grant and Award Announcement

McGill University

As Research University of the Year, McGill heads the list of 15 Medical/Doctoral Universities ranked by Research Infosource, which produces the annual Canada's Top 50 Research Universities ranking and analysis, published today in a supplement in The National Post and available online at http://www.researchinfosource.com/top50.shtml.

The Research University of the Year title is new. It takes into account research output as measured by publication intensity, in addition to the research funding information reflected in the Top 50 ranking.

"The designation Research University of the Year is an important recognition, especially as this is the first year it is being made," said Principal Heather Munroe-Blum. "But even more, it's a concrete testimony to the productivity and excellence of our researchers in all disciplines, of whom we are obviously proud."

Principal Munroe-Blum emphasized that university research does not operate in a vacuum, but directly benefits society through advances in areas from health to culture and works in tandem with teaching to train graduate and undergraduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

"McGill also welcomes this title as an occasion to confirm our ongoing commitment not only to attract top researchers to our ranks, but also to provide the necessary support to those who make us Canada's most research-intensive university," she said.

The inclusion of a research output indicator in the Research Infosource rankings will be welcomed by the research community, said Louise Proulx, Vice-Principal (Research). "While the research input indicators are a good way to measure a university's success in landing research funding, the output indicator is necessary to give a true sense of research productivity," she noted.

The four measurements reflected in the Research University of the Year ranking are: total sponsored research income, research income per full-time faculty member, research income per full-time graduate student and publications per full-time faculty member.

Vice-Principal Proulx said that in demonstrating the quality of McGill research, the Research Infosource ranking is complemented by successes in prestigious award competitions. Last month, for example, Charles Taylor of McGill's Department of Philosophy became the first winner of the Gold Medal of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, that agency's highest honour.

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Research Infosource Inc. is a division of the Impact Group, a Canadian consulting firm specializing in research and evaluation for organizations concerned with science, technology and innovation.

McGill University, located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, has earned an international reputation for scholarly achievement and scientific discovery. Founded in 1821, McGill is one of two Canadian members of the American Association of Universities. The 22 faculties and professional schools offer more than 300 programs, from the undergraduate to the doctoral level, and our professors have received their education from leading academic centres around the world. McGill attracts students from over 150 countries, creating one of the most dynamic and diverse student bodies in North America. There are approximately 18,000 full-time undergraduate students and 5,000 full-time graduate students.


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